Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

was in Judea, where every thing that professed to come from God was
scrutinized with the most exact and unmerciful criticism. In writing the
history of Christianity, the evangelists appeal to certain facts which were
publicly transacted in such places, under the government and inspection
of such and such persons, and in such particular times. A thousand
persons could have confronted the falsehood, had it been one. These
appeals are made—a challenge is offered to the Roman government, and
to the Jewish rulers and people—a new religion has been introduced in
such a place, at such a time—this has been accompanied with such and
such facts and miracles! Who can disprove this? All are silent. None
appears to offer even an objection. The cause of infidelity and irreligion
is at stake! If these facts cannot be disproved, the religion of Christ must
triumph. None appears, because none could appear. Now, let it be
observed that the persons of that time, only, could confute these things
had they been false; they never attempted it; therefore these facts are
absolute and incontrovertible truths: this conclusion is necessary. Shall
a man, then, give up his faith in such attested facts as these, because,
more than a thousand years after, an infidel creeps out, and ventures
publicly to sneer at what his iniquitous soul hopes is not true?
How impartial is the history that God writes! We may see, from
several commentators, what man would have done, had he had the same
facts to relate. The history given by God details as well the vices as the
virtues of those who are its subjects. How widely different from that in
the Bible is the biography of the present day! Virtuous acts that were
never performed, voluntary privations which were never borne, piety
which was never felt, and, in a word, lives which were never lived, are
the principal subjects of our biographical relation. These may be well
termed the Lives of the Saints, for to these are attributed all the virtues
which can adorn the human character, with scarcely a failing or a
blemish; while, on the other hand, those in general mentioned in the
sacred writings stand marked with deep shades. What is the inference
which a reflecting mind, acquainted with human nature, draws from a
comparison of the biography of the Scriptures with that of uninspired
writers? The inference is this—the Scripture history is natural, is